The most checked-out book at the UN library is a bit awkward

Normally used to ‘throwing the book’ at warmongers, now the United Nations has revealed which book has been checked out of its Dag Hammarskjöld library in New York more than any other – and you really couldn't make it up.

According to a Tweet from the library's Twitter account, the most popular read is Immunity of Head of State and State Officials for International Crimes. Presumably closely followed by An Idiot’s Guide to Using Thermo-Nuclear Weapons and the recent autobiography of Tony Blair.

Released in 2014, written by Swiss legal whizz Ramona Pedretti and providing a ‘comprehensive assessment of the rules of customary international law relating to immunity of Heads of State and other State officials in the context of crimes pursuant to international law and their relationship with core principles of international law’ the text was taken out by diplomats more than any other title last year.

So there you have it: don’t judge a book by its cover... unless said book happens to be in the arms of an international diplomat.

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Joe Ellison

Joe is a writer and editor. Specialising in film, food, sport, current affairs, travel writing and adept at pilfering David Brent quotes, Joe describes himself as ‘basically a chilled out entertainer’. Follow Joe on Twitter: @Chevychased